Reaction #6: FDR's Four Freedoms

Of FDR's four freedoms, the goal of freedom from want and freedom from fear especially reflect American and European experiences during the 1930s and 1940s. Briefly explain what FDR meant by "freedom from want" and "freedom from fear" and explain how the desire for these freedoms was the result of American and European experiences during the 1930s and 1940s.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt entered the presidency in a time of great hardships for the United States. It was a time of economic meltdown and tensions were growing worldwide as countries pushed the boundaries and tested the limits. Franklin D. Roosevelt put together plans and quickly worked to solve the world issues upon entering office; however, some were beyond fixing.

Firstly I feel that the Freedom from Want pertained to the difficult economic times the United States and the world were in. The Great Depression affected many worldwide and caused many problems of health and had issues that needed to be resolved such as the living and working conditions of many people. Essentially the people needed more money in order to afford to survive or live in conditions that were acceptable for existence. President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted this economic hardship to not only be lifted off the United States but off the entire world which would promote peaceful coexistence since there would be no competition for limited resources or money.

The freedom from Fear that President Roosevelt was referring to was the inevitable war that was quietly and slowly being waged across the ocean that would soon engulf the entire world. Roosevelt began to call for the reduction of arms worldwide knowing that if the countries kept building militaries and investing everything into war that both sides would be so strong that a stalemate of great destruction would be waged for years. Essentially he wanted to weaken the world such that nobody could forcefully take over any of their neighbors which is exactly what was being planned.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt entered the presidency in a time of great turmoil, but took the job with great honor and decided he would try and solve the problems the United States were facing and the problems he foresaw regarding the impending war. He truly believed that the world in which all humans could coexist peacefully was achievable in his own time; however, there were many other people who were planning and working against his vision of a utopia.